Reporter for The Age

Madison and Emily Adams with the new sugar-laden version of Kellogg's Mini-Wheats. Photo: Penny Stephens

Kellogg's has stopped stocking a "healthy" choice cereal and replaced it with a sugar "frosted" or "chocolate" version with the same name and logo – a move that consumer and health groups have described as sneaky and unpalatable.

But Kellogg's last week put a new cereal on its shelves, Mini-Wheats Little Bites "Original" Frosted and Mini-Wheats Chocolate, which has 66 per cent more sugar than the 5 Grain variety.

The move follows a furore over food labelling. The powerful Australian Food and Grocery Council – on which Kellogg's has a board seat – reportedly urged Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash to pull down a healthy food rating site in February. One of Senator Nash's staffers was forced to resign after it was revealed he co-owned a lobbying firm which represents the junk food industry.

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Under the website rating system, consumer advocate Choice spokeswoman Angela Cartwright said the 5 Grain variety would have been a five-star rated product, while the new frosted variety has so much more sugar it would lose half a star.

"Basically the two products are the same, including being low in sodium, except for the sugar – that alone has lost it half a star," Ms Cartwright said.

Obesity Policy Coalition executive manager Jane Martin criticised Kellogg's for trading on the reputation of a "healthier" option with a high sugar product.

"They are moving into sneaky territory," Ms Martin said.

She also criticised Kellogg's Mini-Wheats nutritional panels for using different serving sizes to disguise the higher sugar content.

"It shows the need for a clear system for consumers to compare products," she said.

Last week the World Health Organisation released new draft guidelines which halved the maximum recommended amount of sugar for adults from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.

Rosanna mum Vicky Adams finds the new sugar version of a favoured cereal unpalatable for her daughters Madison, 9, and Emily, 6.

"It's another one removed off the list – another one gone," Ms Adams said.

Ms Adams became mindful of sugar after terrible morning sickness caused Emily to have ill-formed tooth enamel. Fears of allergies in other children mean she strikes out nut-based cereals too, leaving her with just four options: porridge, Uncle Tobys Shredded Wheat, Weet-Bix and Weeties.

"I've spent a lot of time reading packets in the cereal aisle and am amazed that an entire aisle can only produce four genuinely good options – none of them Kellogg's now," Ms Adams said.

Kellogg's confirmed the Mini-Wheats swap in a statement.

"We are aware that this change has upset some consumers and are taking this feedback on board," the statement said.

"Despite the change in recipe, Kellogg's new Mini-Wheats Little Bites contain only 5 per cent of the recommended daily sugar intake," it said.

"All Kellogg's products, including new Mini-Wheats Little Bites, have percentage daily intake on the front of all our packs, so shoppers can make a decision without even taking the foods off the shelf."